Nintendo: Wii U Zelda and 3D Mario are coming, were considered when designing the console

Don't let the no-shows worry you. The big two are as much a priority as ever

As good as some of the Wii U's launch line-up has been, there are two notable absences. Two very large elephants in the room, one holding a plunger, the other dressed in elfin garb. But fear not. Nintendo hasn't forgotten about 3D Mario and Zelda.

Speaking to IGN, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has stated "We will announce the launch schedules for new 3D Zelda and Mario games in the future, but this is not the right opportunity for me to indicate when we will make such announcements."

That said, the lack of announcement doesn't bode ill for the HD fates of Nintendo's big two. In fact they're of the utmost priority for the new Nintendo machine - for any new Nintendo machine in fact. According to Iwata "as we develop a new hardware platform, we ask ourselves such questions as, ‘what kind of new Zelda and Mario games do the software creators hope to make on this?'"

So don't worry about the no-show for Nintendo's biggest two at launch. Just rest assured that when they do appear they'll probably be pretty special and a proper use of the Wii U's unique technical twang-doodles.

And in the meantime check out our features on what we want from the new Mario and Zelda games when they do turn up.